DLA Adds Biodiesel Quality Requirement to Fuel Contracts

May 18, 2015

Change allows for more high quality Advanced Biofuel in Military Operations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kaleb Little/NBB
800-841-5849

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Defense Logistics Agency took a major step forward in ensuring high quality biodiesel can be used seamlessly in military bases across the country. DLA, the Department of Defense’s largest logistics support agency, recently added a biodiesel fuel quality clause in their procurement contracts that says suppliers of biodiesel shall be certified as either BQ-9000 Producers or BQ-9000 Marketers.

“As the US military continues to move towards more sustainable, American-made fuels, it’s extremely important that they purchase the highest quality fuel possible,” said National Biodiesel Board Technical Director Scott Fenwick. “The inclusion of the BQ-9000 requirement ensures our military bases and others DLA supplies will be able to use biodiesel seamlessly in their operations.”

As America’s combat logistics support agency, DLA provides the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, other federal agencies and partner nation armed forces with a full spectrum of logistics, acquisition and technical services. DLA sources and provides nearly all of the consumable items America’s military forces need to operate – from food, fuel and energy to uniforms, medical supplies and construction material. In 2014, they supplied 100 million barrels of fuel.

DLA also leads the Department of Defense’s efforts to supply the military services with alternative fuel and renewable energy solutions.

The National Biodiesel Accreditation Program is a cooperative and voluntary program for the accreditation of producers and marketers of biodiesel fuel called BQ-9000®. The program is a unique combination of the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D6751, and a quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices. BQ-9000® is open to any biodiesel manufacturer, marketer or distributor of biodiesel and biodiesel blends in the United States and Canada.

Biodiesel is an advanced biofuel made from sustainable resources such as soybean oil, recycled cooking oil and other fats and oils. With plants in nearly every state in the country, the industry first topped 1 billion gallons in 2011 and supports more than 62,000 jobs nationwide. It is the first and only EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel being produced on a commercial scale across the country.